LOOKING FOR CX EXCELLENCE? START WITH YOUR DATA

Great CX requires surfacing accurate data in a timely way through critical moments in the customer journey. SIMON BREED identifies some ways that organisations can improve.

One common thread drives great customer experiences: first-party data. The CX Framework is a valuable reference for best-practice customer experience. Developed by The CX Academy in Ireland (which in my view offers some of the best training for CX practitioners), it highlights six emotional drivers for CX excellence and advocacy: 1) I trust you 2) You know me 3) You make it easy 4) You get me 5) You deliver on your promise 6) You fix things. Organisations that perform best around CX often embrace these drivers, overtly or not, to create an enduring bond with customers and gain commercial advantage.

BUILD FIRST- PARTY DATA CURRENCY

First-party data is the good oil of excellent CX. It acts as the feedback source for how people respond to our brand, products, services and communications. The catch? It must be clean, accurate and current to be valuable. Get the basics right by cleaning up essential fields – simple things like first names (‘You know me’ starts with using my name correctly). Clear out data if it’s likely to be wrong. Merge, purge and de-dupe records from disparate systems, prioritising data that’s most likely accurate.

CHECK IN WITH CUSTOMERS TO GET IT RIGHT

Data deteriorates quickly. Customers move, sell their cars, change their phones. Having cleaned your data, reach out to your customers and ask them to confirm that the data is accurate. Engaging them in the process builds trust and creates a foundation for ongoing communication. Longer-term, put processes in place to ask your customers at least annually to check that the information you hold remains accurate. These check-ins are a great opportunity to ask for snippets of additional information, too.

SURFACE RELEVANT DATA IN A TIMELY WAY

Legacy systems built to manage finances, products and services don’t often surface relevant information in a timely way, but that’s a poor excuse for inaction. OpenAPI cloud-based CRM and marketing automation tools are standard. They connect sales, marketing and customer service teams as well as digital customer interfaces. For most Kiwi organisations, there are options aplenty, and set-up need not break the bank. Remember, technology is just the enabler – power it up with the appropriate expertise to reduce risk and fast-track positive returns.

FIND THE FRICTION TO ALLEVIATE PAIN POINTS

Your data captures behaviours: how, where, when, to whom and how much. Analyse what’s happening in your customer journey interactions; behavioural data can reveal patterns. Combine it with the tacit knowledge of the business – especially the first-hand experiences of customer-facing staff. The processes to unlock are those presenting the most friction or significant gaps in opportunity.

It’s better to iterate with this, prioritising no more than two or three improvement programmes at once. The data then comes into its own as a test-and-learn environment to prove the value of new initiatives.

BE RELEVANT, NOT CREEPY

Personal data enables increased relevance, but with this comes risk and responsibility. Marketers must make judgement calls about the fine line between personalised and just plain creepy. As consumers, we expect organisations to use data to improve the experience so long as we feel in control. Using data well makes it easier for people to do business with you, builds trust and demonstrates that you get what they want.

JUST START

The last point in the CX Framework is: You fix things. People understand if you get it wrong once, so long as you resolve the issues. Make it easy for them to update you and record data changes accurately for next time.

Your data will improve with use. Invest in it like you would any other business resource. Your customers will enjoy a better experience, staff will benefit, and so will sales. That’s a win-win-win.